Game apparatus



No. 4m7,'5s2. Patented 1an. no, 1899.

A. CLARK. y

GAME APPARATUS.

(Application led Feb. 28,' 1898.)

(No Model.)

mail @il l UNITED STATES PATENT Carnitin,y

ALICE CLARK, 0F CHASE CITY, VIRGINIA.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,562, dated January 10, 1899.

Application filed February 28,1898. Serial No. 671,991. (No model.)

.To @ZZ whom, t wtag/ concern:

Be it known that I, ALICE CLARK, a citizen of the4 United States, residing at Chase City, in the county of Mecklenburg and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to games and toys, and has for its obj ect to provide a game apparatus of simple construction whereof the manipulation is entertaining and by means of which a variety of games may be played.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will-be particularly pointed` out in the appended claim.

In the drawing the ligure represents a perspective view of a game apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention.

The game apparatus embodying my invention consists of a board l, adapted to be horizontally disposed and surrounded by a depressed non-countin g channel or receptacle 2, of which the outer wall extends above the plane of the upper surface of the board, the central portion of the board-surface having an area bounded by a series of spaced obstructions consisting'of carom-pins 3. These pins are arranged in a single series to bound a square or rectangular area, at the corners of which elongated pins 3, bearing banners or iiags 4, are disposed. Within the inclosure a series of depressions or pockets having raised edges or walls are formed for the reception of movable objects 5, of which I employ a plurality divided into two or more groups designated byy distinguishable colors or characters, the opponents of a game, whether two or more are engaged, being supplied with a selected number of these objects, which are to be rolled from a point without the inclosed area to a point within the same with the purpose of locating the objects in the pockets or depressions. A central rectangular counting depression 6 is surrounded by a series of smaller counting depressions 7 of lower denomination, while at the angles of the inclosure are disposed other discounting depressions 8, and the several depressions may be designated to represent different counts or different objects to be attained during the operation of the apparatus. For instance, the central and surrounding series of pockets may be designated to count, respectively, fifteen and ten points to the game of the participant who is making the play, while the outside or corner pocket may be designated to count twenty toward the gaine of the opponent of that participant whose play is progressing. By this arrangement, in connection with the distinguishable groups of objects, the seating of an object of one color in the central or one of the contiguous surrounding series of pockets will count for the player using the objects of that color, while the seating of the same object or another of a like color in one of the corner pockets will count for the game of the opponent. With this plan of game it will obviously become an aim of each player not only to successfully locate one of his objects in a counting-pocket, but to dislodge the opponents objects from counting-pockets and cause them to roll into the corner or discounting pockets or into the surrounding nom-counting depression 2. It is obvious that with this arrangement of parts the manner of counting may be so varied as to make the game more or less difficult, to suit the preferences of the participants.

In order to regulate the points at which the rolling objects may be started when about to be put in play, the upper surface of the board, outside of the central inclosure and preferably contiguous to the side edges, is provided with a shallow linear depression or groove performing the function not only of a balk-line, but of a .temporary rest for the objects, and this depressed starting-line may be extended approximately throughout the length of and parallel with each side edge of the board, as indicated, each player being entitled to utilize the starting-line throughout the length of that portion parallel with the edge of the board next to the player or may be limitedin extent to suit the peculiarities of the gaine or in accordance with any restrictions which may be agreed upon by the participants prior to the beginning of the play.

Obviously the pins are located at such an IOO interval as to allow a rolling object to pass therebetween without leaving the surface of the board, and the pins are preferably crosssectionally rectangular and of a sufciently yielding quality to cause a rolling object encountering a pin to rebound, and hence as the objects are placed successively on the starting-line and are struck lightly by the ends of the players fingers in order to impel them toward the inclosure it is obvious that by the exercise of skill it is possible to make carom and analogous shots, and thus facilitate the contact of the playing object with a previously-played object in order to impart to the latter a motion in a direction preferred by the player. The exterior channel or receptacle is designed to receive those objects which having passed through or being unskilfully impelled are not in play, and an object thus gaining access to the surrounding receptacle is lost so far as count is concerned to the player to whom such object is assigned.

I prefer in practice to dispose the carompins, which form a series of obstructions bounding the area in which the counting and discounting depressions are formed, to form a rectangularinclosure, in the iirst place, because by using a cross-sectionally-rectangular pin it is possible for the player to control the angle of carom to strike a rolling object at any part 'of the inclosed area. A further reason, however, for adopting this rectangular arrangement of the obstructions is to provide angles in which the discounting depressions may be disposed. As much skill is required to avoid placing a ball in one of the discounting-pockets as in placing the same in one of the counting-pockets, and these discounting-pockets, which are of quadrant shape in plan, preferably extend from the corner posts or obstructions to the adjacent carom-pins in the adjoining sides ofthe inclosure, whereby an object striking either of said corner or adjacent pins is deflected with approximate certainty into the discounting depression.

Having described my invention, what I claim is A gameapparatus comprisinga board, in the flat playing-surface of which is formed acenboard, discounting pockets or depressions formed within said inclosure at its angles, whereby the adjacent intersecting sides of the inclosure serve to guide moving objects to the discountingpockets, a depressed noncounting groove arranged parallel with the edge of the board and extending continuously therearound to receive objects passing outside of the inclosure while in play, and a depressed starting-line arranged Within the space surrounded by said non-counting groove, with its sides parallel with the respective edges of the board, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' ALICE CLARK.

IVitnesses:

C. G. TISDALE, T. D. JEFFRnss. 

